The present invention relates to resuscitation devices and, more particularly, to a mask for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
As used herein, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation refers to methods in which air is forced at regular intervals from the lungs of a rescuer into the lungs of a patient who has stopped breathing in order to provide the interchange of air necessary for respiration. If the heart of the patient has also stopped, simultaneous cardiac resuscitation is also necessary. These simultaneous resuscitation efforts are referred to as cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Because the lips and associated facial muscles of a patient requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation are flaccid, it is difficult to produce a satisfactory seal with the lips of a patient using many resuscitation devices. The seal which is achieved in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is satisfactory due to the ability of rescuers to close their lips over the mouth area of the patient and thereby conform to that area. Thus, this classic mouth-to-mouth resuscitation technique requires direct contact between the rescuer and the patient. Many potential rescuers find this aspect of the technique objectionable.
Therefore, prior art methods have been developed for performing resuscitation in which no mouth-to-mouth contact is required between the rescuer and the patient. These prior art methods may involve the insertion of a tube device into the airway of the patient. These devices included intubation devices and esophageal obturator airways. However, an effective seal must still be established over the mouth of the patient while air is forced into the patient as previously described. Many of these devices did not effectively form such a seal.
It is also known to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices which include a resuscitation face mask. The face masks of the prior art were often formed of a thin flexible film which was positioned over the mouth and nose regions of the patient. It was known to position a one-way valve in a centrally located opening in these prior art film masks to permit the rescuer to blow air into the respiratory passages of the patient while preventing exhaled air from the patient from flowing into the mouth of the user.
However, when these prior art resuscitation masks were used to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation it was necessary to alternately remove and replace the mask if the rescuer switched between forcing air into the lungs of the user and providing oxygen from an oxygen source to the patient. Additionally, if the rescuer alternated between allowing the patient to breathe unassisted and providing oxygen, the coupling of the oxygen supply had to be removed or the oxygen turned off. Removal of the mask was sometimes required in order to allow the patient to breathe unassisted thereby making periodic assistance with oxygen more difficult.
Additionally, many prior art resuscitation masks were rigid or semi-rigid making it difficult to store them in small packages. Resuscitation masks that were flexible enough to be folded into a small package for convenient storage and transportation lacked the structural integrity sometimes necessary for use in emergency situations involving cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
The resuscitation mask of the present invention is adapted to fit over the mouth and nose of a patient to provide a good seal with the face of the patient. The mask includes a tightenable head strap for securing the mask to the head of the patient, an oxygen supply port of the tapered type, and a second, larger, sealable port. The larger port is adapted to be opened to permit the patient to breathe normally once resuscitation has been accomplished while still permitting a flow of oxygen through the oxygen port as well as for patient monitoring. A generally cylindrical mouth member extends outwardly from the front of the mask and is adapted to be engaged by the mouth of a rescuer. The mouth member includes interior spacer ribs to prevent collapse of the air flow passageway through the mouth member thereby allowing air to pass therethrough when it is tightly gripped. Above the mouth member on the front face of the mask is a slot which receives a one-way duckbill valve assembly. The valve assembly permits air to flow to the patient and blocks air in the opposite direction. The slot cooperates with the valve assembly to provide a vent to permit fluid from the patient to escape from the mask.